INTEGRATED IN SITU RETORTING AND REFINING OF HYDROCARBONS FROM OIL SHALE, TAR SANDS AND DEPLETED FORMATIONS

摘要

A method of producing hydrocarbons in situ from a fixed-bed hydrocarbon formation, such as oil shale, heavy oil, tar sands, shale gas and depleted oil and gas deposits, the hydrocarbon formation disposed below a ground surface and having a higher permeability zone substantially parallel to, and between a top lower permeability zone and a bottom lower permeability zone. The steps include providing at least one injection well and first and second production wells in the higher permeability zone. Injecting a heated thermal-energy carrier fluid (TECF) into the injection well and circulating the carrier fluid through the higher permeability zone and creating a substantially horizontal situ heating element (ISHE) between the injection well and the production wells for mobilizing hydrocarbons in the adjacent lower permeability along an interface extending substantially between the injection well to the first and second production wells.